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Now that the 2023 election is over (or not, depending on the political divide), and all fray nerves are relatively calm, I have decided to deviate a bit from my calling - business and technology. It feels imperative to put a word out there, who knows how many lives would be saved as a result. The election witnessed the most participation from Nigerian youths, across religious and ethnic lines. Major upsets were recorded in different places, with the mightiest humbled by the lightweights, and for the very first time, we get to realize that there are indeed polling units on social media, contrary to popular belief. As alluded to by internal and external observers, the election was like a typical Nigeria election, marred with rigging, violence, threat, and loss of lives and properties. But one thing that stands out is the divisive role religion and ethnicity played. Although this is not unusual, as it has always been from time memorial, this case seems to be peculiar with an open campaign and solicitation along religious and ethnic coloration, which was very evident in the pattern of the final results. Expectedly, the final declaration is being challenged in court with all parties claiming victory, and as a result, no further comment will be made to forestall contempt. Like a starter before the main menu, it's important to recall the role ethnicity and religion played in the past.

Nigeria Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, was a conflict that took place in Nigeria from 1967 to 1970. The war was fought between the Nigerian government and the secessionist state of Biafra, which was declared by the easterners in Nigeria. The conflict began when the people declared their intention to secede from Nigeria and form the independent state of Biafra. The Nigerian government, led by General Yakubu Gowon, refused to recognizes the secession and launched a military campaign to bring the eastern region back under government control. The war was characterized by a series of brutal military campaigns, including a blockade that led to widespread famine and starvation. The conflict resulted in the deaths of an estimated 3 million people, primarily due to famine and disease. The war ended in 1970 when Biafra surrendered and was reintegrated into Nigeria. The aftermath of the conflict left deep scars and tensions between different ethnic groups in Nigeria. Nobody wants a repeat of this, irrespective of the outcomes, lives will be lost, limbs will be severed, and rape will become the least of all worries.

South Sudan Civil War
While the Nigeria civil war was learned from history, the South Sudan war was not. Experience has shown that war is indeed worrisome and not anyone should get close to it. With my heart literally in my mouth all through the six weeks spent in Juba the capital city, not only because the city was war-torn, deserted, and completely filled with hunger, famine, and sickness; but because of the screening we had to go through by machete wielding child soldiers whose average age is around 12 years. The data center deployment project I went for warranted leaving the office for the hotel late in the night, and with a country that was just delivered from the jaws of war, the entire episode shows a living standard that was well below the African standard. Innocent lives were sacrificed on the altar of ego between President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar which resulted in Machar's ouster as vice president, violence occurred in 2013 between presidential troops from South Sudan's two main ethnic groups - Dinka and Nuer. Troops of the Dinka ethnicity supported Kiir, while those of the Nuer ethnic group backed Machar. Kiir stated in the middle of the pandemonium that Machar had attempted a coup, and unrest swiftly expanded to Jonglei, Upper Nile, and Unity states. Both armed groups targeted people along ethnic lines from the start of the conflict, perpetrated rape, and sexual brutality, destroyed property, plundered communities, and recruited minors into their ranks. To make matters worse, Salva who has been the president since 2011 is still the ‘Emilokan’ today, despite all lives that have been cut short, and houses that have been thrown to eternal bereavement.

Rwanda Genocide
My experience at the KG 14 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda, the site of the Rwanda Genocide Memorial reveals the mass slaughter of Tutsi and moderate Hutu in Rwanda, that took place from April to July 1994. The genocide was triggered by the assassination of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, on April 6, 1994. Hutu extremists blamed the Tutsi ethnic minority for the assassination and began a campaign of violence and killing. Over the course of 100 days, an estimated 800,000 people, mostly Tutsi, were killed in the genocide. Many moderate Hutu were also killed for opposing the genocide. The killings were carried out by Hutu militias, as well as members of the Rwandan army and government. The international community was criticised for its slow response to the genocide. The United Nations had a peacekeeping mission in Rwanda at the time, but it was not authorised to intervene to stop the killing. The genocide ended when the Rwandan Patriotic Front, a Tutsi-led rebel group, captured the capital city of Kigali on July 4, 1994. The aftermath of the genocide left Rwanda in a state of devastation, with deep scars and trauma that still impact the country today. The government of Rwanda has made significant efforts to promote reconciliation and rebuild the country, but the legacy of the genocide continues to be felt both within Rwanda and in the international community. I was severely worn by co-workers not to inquire about the genocide in the office. One thing stands out as fuel to the fire of the genocide - radio stations. It was used by the Hutu government to broadcast the locations of the ‘cockroaches’, with their machete-wielding militants promptly arriving at the venue like first responders on an emergency call. If ordinary radio station can facilitate a war , one can only imagine what the volatility of social media will do. For the millennials and gen z on social media, the Hotel Rwanda documentary could be of use.

Most Villain Players (MVPs) of the Election
The real losers are Nigeria and Nigerians, we have done a wonderful job of further severing the graveyard peace among the ethnic and religious groups. We have also succeeded in showing that nepotism and bigotry know no bounds and have nothing to do with age, education, or exposure. We allowed age-long relationships between friends, siblings, co-workers, and neighbours to be truncated by religious and ethnic jingoists who paraded themselves as leaders. It's okay to live in self-denial and apportion blame because there is certainly enough to go around, but it will not change the fact that this is a self-inflicted wound, that will take ages to heal. To the Twitter and social media warriors, I say a big congratulations, when the day of recompense comes we will all become Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) on social media. Thanks to technology, we can possibly find the abode on the Metaverse. There are still enough leaves to borrow from the Pew Research Centre’s study of U.S. adults, which shows that about two-thirds believe social media has a primarily negative impact on the way things are going in the country now. Just one-tenth believe social media platforms have a primarily good impact on the way things are going, and a quarter believes they have neither a positive nor a bad impact. As always the contribution of our TV men, also known as journalists cannot be overemphasized, we now have a new star boy - Oseni Rufai with his ARISE News crew, the accidental mouthpiece of the nation, and voice of the voiceless. The once-celebrated Seun Okinbaloye is now subjected to mix-feeling, depending on who was invited on his show. The role played by those suffering from Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but instead tagged celebrities will not be forgotten when the history of the 2023 election is written. As for the politicians, theirs is a special place in hell!

Religion, Ethnicity, Politics and The Rest of Us
A country polarized and bastardized by religion and ethnicity cannot stand the test of time, it is like a sand castle in the wind. Until religion and ethnicity are completely downplayed and relegated to the private abode of individuals, the polity will always be on the furnace of tension. Until the state of origin is totally replaced with the state of residence, and our diversity is seen as a strength, the country will be far from the promised land and instead will continue to be immersed in game blame and finger pointing. Nigeria has around 250 ethnic or cultural origins, while Canada with almost double of that, and easily one of the most multicultural countries in the world, hardly has any ethnic or religious tension. The reason is not far-fetched, there are no loudspeakers on the street or in the middle of the night when an innocent baby is sleeping, no preaching in public buses, religion is extremely regulated and relegated, and religious bodies have boards of trustees that are accountable to the government. Any anointed or haramist can be touched and subjected to the rule of law without even making the news. Prayers are private and not hypothetically and sentimentally proclaimed in schools and offices. Their land is a man’s land, and their rich culture and diversity, a major strength and unifier, is well celebrated, appreciated and showcased as cynosure to the whole world. Their streets are littered with businesses and malls not with prayer houses. They have lots more religions than Nigeria, yet the leave in peace, because they understand religion is personal, and doesn't need to be amplified unnecessarily. Growth and prosperity is not spiritual, metaphysical or sci-fiction, it’s pure science, it's a choice between production and consumption, import and exports.
Little wonder why the most religious country on earth is also the poverty capital of the world. To attain the level of prosperity we all yawn for, we will have to embrace our diversities, downplay and deescalate our differences (religious, political and ethnic affiliation) and focus on what is more important. The focus should be on increasing production capacity, human capital development, rapid education, personal development and empowerment, accountability and transparency from elected leaders and most importantly peace, unity and love.

https://www./religion-ethnicity-politics-rest-us-kehinde-idowu/?trackingId=dGLUGl2OSuauHoW90UBWfA%3D%3D

To attain the level of prosperity we all yawn for, we will have to embrace our diversities, downplay and deescalate our differences (religious, political and ethnic affiliation)

People keep saying this but its not going to happen. October 1st 1960 is the date we began a journey to find out if we could live together, if we could be together. From that date until now, Nigerians have found nothing that brings them together, no unity of purpose, no common factor of togetherness and no unity

After 63 years, if you have not yet found what binds you as a people, then your union is a joke. Thats why people can still play ethnic, tribal and religious card and it will hold. The only solution is disintegration. Lets stop deceiving our selves that the union of Nigeria will bear any fruit, it wont. Lets stop deceiving our selves that peace and prosperity will come from the disunity of Nigeria, that's not happening

It is time to bring this British colonial contraption called Nigeria to an end, we cannot keep fighting for eternity. Let us all agree to the peaceful disintegration of Nigeria, shake hands and go our seperate ways